Only a handful of anime have managed to cross the 1,000-episode mark, and One Piece is one of them. It is considered to be one of the greatest Shonen anime of all time, and after more than two decades, its popularity is still growing. Eiichiro Oda created a series with a vast world and an incredibly detailed story, but what makes One Piece really stand out is its characters, who for the most part, are all very well-written.
Fans have met hundreds of characters throughout the Straw Hats’ journey, and many of them have interesting backstories. One Piece is known for its emotional moments, and most of the time, the best moments come when a character’s backstory is explored. Not every character has a sad backstory, but those that do really stand out.
Updated on November 28, 2023, by George Voutiritsas: Like most stories, One Piece has its share of issues, but no one can say that the series suffers when it comes to character development. One Piece is unique in a sense, as no other anime delves into character backstories with such care and detail. Many of the heroes had terrible and/or traumatic upbringings, but a number of villains have also had tear-inducing backstories. Fans can debate who has the saddest backstory in One Piece, but each option has merit to be in the top spot. Some of One Piece’s saddest backstories have already been mentioned in this list, but there are others that deserve recognition as well.
21 Ace
Spent His Life Questioning Whether He Deserved To Live
- Debut: Manga Chapter 154/ Anime Episode 91
- Former Role: 2nd Division Commander Of The Whitebeard Pirates
- Greatest Achievement: Sacrificing Himself To Save Luffy’s Life
Ace was part of the D. Clan, and he was Luffy’s older adopted brother. More importantly, he was the son of Gol D. Roger, the man who sailed the entire Grand Line and became known as the Pirate King. Roger turned himself in and was executed in Loguetown, and Ace’s mother died after giving birth to him.
Ace knew who his father was, and he hated him. In fact, he denounced him and accepted Whitebeard as his true father. He lived in his father’s shadow and contemplated his right to even exist. He knew that virtually no one in the world would have wanted Roger’s son to live, and he held onto that belief until his death.
20 Jewelry Bonney
Her Father Sacrificed Himself To Save Her Life
- Debut: Manga Chapter 498/ Anime Episode 392
- Former Role: Princess Of Sorbet Kingdom
- Greatest Achievement: Saving Zoro From The Saint Charlos
Jewelry Bonney belongs to the group of pirates who are referred to as the Worst Generation, but she is actually the former princess of the Sorbet Kingdom. Her father is Bartholomew Kuma – the former Warlord who became the World Government’s first Pacifista. He was later turned into a slave for the World Nobles as punishment for helping the Straw Hats.
Bonney remembers how much her father loved her, and she hates the World Government for forcing him to become a cyborg. She cannot stand the fact that her father is considered a tyrant because she knows that he was a good ruler, and her heart broke when she saw how he was treated in Mary Geoise. Bonney later discovered her father’s memories on Egghead Island, and she learned that Kuma was not her real father. Kuma raised her and loved her like his own, and he agreed to become a cyborg to save her from the fatal Sapphire Scales disease.
19 Usopp
Cared For His Sick Mother
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- Debut: Manga Chapter 23/ Anime Episode 8
- Current Role: Sniper Of The Straw Hat Pirates
- Greatest Achievement: Saving Dressrosa By Defeating Sugar
Usopp has become one of the better-designed Straw Hats since the time skip and he has come a long way since first joining the crew at the end of the Syrup Village Arc. His father is part of the Red Hair Pirates, but his mother was an ordinary woman who awaited her husband’s return.
Usopp is known for lying, but he only developed this habit because his mother became ill. She wanted to see Usopp’s father again and to strengthen her spirit, he lied to her every day. He would say that pirates were coming, but his actions could not stop his mother from dying. He continues to lie as a way of coping with the fact that both his parents left him behind.
18 Zoro
Lost His Childhood Friend
- Debut: Manga Chapter 3/ Anime Episode 1
- Current Role: Luffy’s Right-Hand Man
- Greatest Achievement: Defeating King
Zoro lost both his parents by the time he was 8, but he was able to join Shimotsuki Village’s dojo. This was the dojo where Zoro trained to become a swordsman. It is also the place where he met his friend Kuina. They started off as rivals, as she was the only person Zoro could not defeat. After losing to her more than 2,000 times, Zoro learned that they both dreamt about becoming the world’s greatest swordsman.
Kuina was told that she would never be able to achieve her goal because she is a woman, but Zoro forced her to believe in herself. They both agreed to follow the same dream. Unfortunately, Kuina died the very next day after an accidental fall. Zoro was devastated, but he vowed to become the greatest swordsman to honor her memory.
17 Gecko Moria
His Entire Crew Was Killed Fighting Kaido
- Debut: Manga Chapter 449/ Anime Episode 343
- Former Role: Warlord Of The Sea
- Greatest Achievement: Fighting Kaido & Surviving
Gecko Moria is a former Warlord who used the Shadow-Shadow Fruit to create an army of zombies. It makes sense that a pirate would try to create an obedient undead army for power, and Moria definitely wanted power, but he had another motive.
When Moria was younger, he faced Kaido and the Beast Pirates in Wano, and he was the only member of the crew that survived. Moria cared about his crew, and their deaths left him traumatized. He never wanted to feel such a painful and irreplaceable loss again, which is why he turned to zombies.
16 Boa Hancock
She And Her Sisters Were Forced Into Slavery By The Celestial Dragons
- Debut: Manga Chapter 516/ Anime Episode 409
- Former Role: Warlord Of The Sea
- Greatest Achievement: Decimating Pirates & Soldiers During The Summit War
Boa Hancock was the only female member of the Shichibukai, and she is the empress of Amazon Lily. The argument can be made that Hancock is one of the strongest Haki specialists in the series, but her real power comes from her Devil Fruit, which allows her to petrify anyone who is attracted to her.
The Devil Fruit may be her greatest weapon, but she only obtained this power when she was a slave of the Celestial Dragons. Some of these World Nobles forced her to eat the Devil Fruit as a form of sick entertainment. They tortured Hancock and her sisters despite the fact they were children, and they branded her back with a slave mark.
15 Koala
Was Traumatized & Beaten By The Celestial Dragon When She Was A Child Slave
- Debut: Manga Chapter 622/ Anime Episode 541
- Current Role: Revolutionary Army Officer
- Greatest Achievement: Help To Save Luffy From Jesus Burgess
Koala is now part of the Revolutionary Army, which is understandable given her backstory. When she was a child, Koala was kidnapped and sold to the World Nobles as a slave. She was branded and beaten constantly until she could do nothing else but smile. She had been told that she’d be killed if she cried.
Luckily, Fisher Tiger, the legendary Fishman Pirate, rescued her from Mary Geoise along with dozens of other slaves. The World Nobles traumatized her so much that she did not shed a single tear for three years.
14 Momonosuke
His Parents Were Killed By Kaido
- Debut: Manga Chapter 684/ Anime Episode 609
- Current Role: Shogun Of Wano
- Greatest Achievement: Prevented Onigashima From Crashing Onto The Flower Capital
The entire Wano Arc revolves around overthrowing Kaido so Momonosuke can take his rightful place as Shogun. Momo was born 20 years before One Piece’s official story began, but his mother used her Devil Fruit power to send him into the future. She did this to save his life.
When Kaido took control of Wano, he needed to take care of Momo’s father, and after Oden was forced to make a fool of himself, he was publicly executed. Kaido then attempted to kill Momo to end Oden’s line. His mother died in the resulting attack, and for a long time, Momo believed his little sister was dead as well.
13 Hiyori
Witnessed Her Family’s Destruction & Became A Geisha For The Man Who Betrayed Her Family
- Debut: Manga Chapter 909/ Anime Episode 892
- Current Role: Princess Of Wano
- Greatest Achievement: Orochi’s Defeat
Hiyori is Momonosuke’s little sister, and she was forced to go into hiding for 20 years when her parents died. At first, she stayed with Kawamatsu – one of her father’s samurai, and he tried his best to raise and protect her. Kawamatsu managed to get food despite the massive shortage, but he would not eat any. Hiyori did not want him to die on her behalf, so she left and wandered the streets of the Flower Capital until she was found by Denjiro – another samurai who pretended to be on Orochi’s side.
Hiyori assumed the name, Komurasaki and became a Geisha. She worked her way up to the highest Geisha position, and in doing so, she got Orochi to fall for her. Momonosuke believed his family was dead, but at least he did not have to seduce the vile man who caused their suffering.
12 Charlotte Linlin
Was Abandoned By Her Parents & Ate Her New Friends
- Debut: Manga Chapter 651/ Anime Episode 571
- Former Role: One Of The Four Emperors
- Greatest Achievement: Controlling Her Own Empire
Charlotte Linlin was the only female Yonko and the captain of the Big Mom Pirates. When she was five, she towered over people, and unbeknownst to her, she had an uncontrollable behavior that often caused a great deal of damage. As a result, her parents abandoned her on Elbaf, the home of the giants.
She was taken in by Mother Caramel, who cared for her like a mother. In reality, Caramel was a child trafficker who planned to sell Big Mom to the World Government. Big Mom loved living with the giants, but when she accidentally destroyed Elbaf village during an outburst, the giants rejected her too. On her birthday, she went through an eating frenzy and accidentally ate her friends and Mother Caramel. When the frenzy ended, she thought they had abandoned her too.
11 Franky
His Actions Led To His Father-Figure’s Death
- Debut: Manga Chapter 329/ Anime Episode 233
- Current Role: Shipwright Of The Straw Hat Pirates
- Greatest Achievement: Defeating Sasaki
Franky does not need Haki to be strong because his body has been augmented to the point that he is now a cyborg. He augmented himself because his body was heavily damaged when he was 12 years old, and this happened because he tried to stop a train that was carrying Tom.
Tom was a legendary shipwright who took Franky under his wing, and the Marines tried to arrest him in Water 7 because he built Gol D. Roger’s famous ship. Tom agreed to build the train in return for his freedom, but the Marines did not keep their promise. An incident caused by Franky allowed Tom to be blamed for the ensuing attack. Tom was taken and executed, and Franky blamed himself for years
10 Chopper
Chopper Could Not Save His Adopted Father
- Debut: Manga Chapter 134/ Anime Episode 81
- Current Role: Doctor Of The Straw Hat Pirates
- Greatest Achievement: Saving Hundreds From Queen’s Ice Oni Virus
Chopper is a reindeer who ate the Human-Human Fruit, and although it gave him unique abilities, it also made him an outcast. His own herd wanted nothing to do with him, and many of the humans on the island considered him to be a monster.
Dr. Hiriluk was not one of those humans, though. In fact, he took Chopper in and grew to love him like a son. Their time together was cut short, however, as Hiriluk was gravely ill. Chopper tried to save him with a mushroom that turned out to be poisonous, but Hiriluk ended his life before the poison could take effect, thus sparing Chopper from extra grief.
9 Kuma
The Celestial Dragons Ruined His Life & Killed His Loved Ones
- Debut: Manga Chapter 233/ Anime Episode 151
- Former Role: Warlord Of The Sea & Revolutionary Army Officer
- Greatest Achievement: Saving Bonney’s Life
Bartholomew Kuma once served the World Government as a Warlord of the Sea, and he agreed to become part of their cyborg soldier initiative. The Egghead Arc has shed light on Kuma’s past, and it turns out that he was once a slave. His blood was tested as soon as he was born, and the World Government was alerted that he was a Buccaneer. The Buccaneers are a special race of large humanoids, and they are seemingly despised by the World Nobles.
Shortly after his birth, Kuma and his parents were taken and turned into slaves. His mother died sometime later because her body could no longer handle the abuse. Kuma’s father taught him about Nika, the legendary warrior of liberation. One day his father sang about Nika, and a World Noble killed him right in front of Kuma. When the World Nobles held their Native Hunting Competition on God Valley, Kuma was one of the slaves chosen for the hunt.
8 Rebecca
Her Family Was Decimated By Doflamingo & His Crew
- Debut: Manga Chapter 704/ Anime Episode 633
- Former Role: Crown Princess Of Dressrosa
- Greatest Achievement: Becoming An Accomplished Gladiator
Rebecca is the former crown princess of Dressrosa, but she forfeited that title to live with her father. She may have gotten a happy ending, but her backstory still makes her one of One Piece’s unluckiest characters. When Doflamingo took Dressrosa for himself, he decimated the royal family.
Rebecca and her mother saw the castle burning, and they were soon attacked by one of Doflamingo’s officers. Her father went to go help Rebecca’s grandfather, but he was transformed into a toy soldier, and Rebecca lost all memories of him. Her mother was later killed while searching for food. Doflamingo eventually found Rebecca and forced her to fight as a gladiator.
7 Sanji
His Father Locked Him Away & Tried To Erase His Existence
- Debut: Manga Chapter 43/ Anime Episode 20
- Current Role: Chef Of The Straw Hat Pirates
- Greatest Achievement: Defeating Queen
The Germa Kingdom is one of the strongest organizations in One Piece, and Sanji is a former Prince of said Kingdom. Unlike his brothers, Sanji still possessed compassion – a trait that his father saw as a sign of weakness. He also did not possess superhuman abilities, and his brothers bullied him every day because of these traits.
His mother was ill, and she would only eat the food he made for her, which inspired his love of cooking. When she died, his father concluded that Sanji would never manifest superhuman abilities, so he decided to erase his existence instead. He did this by locking him in an iron mask and sending him away to a tower. Luckily Sanji escaped and was able to meet Zeff and the Straw Hats.
6 Brook
He Watched His Entire Crew Die & Spent Decades Alone
- Debut: Manga Chapter 442/ Anime Episode 337
- Current Role: Musician Of The Straw Hat Pirates
- Greatest Achievement: Fought Big Mom & Survived
Before joining the Straw Hats, Brook was part of the Rumble Pirates, and they had ventured into the Grand Line like many other crews. During their travels, the Captain and half the crew contracted an incurable disease, and at that point, the crew split in two.
Brook became the new Captain, and things went well until they were attacked by enemy pirates. Those who survived the attack slowly died because the enemy used poisoned weapons. Brook knew he would survive thanks to the Revive-Revive Fruit, so he suggested that the crew play one last song. He was literally forced to watch all of his crewmates die, and when he did revive, he spent decades alone with just his memories.
5 Nami
Was Forced To Work For The Man Who Killed Her Adopted Mother
- Debut: Manga Chapter 8/ Anime Episode 1
- Current Role: Navigator Of The Straw Hat Pirates
- Greatest Achievement: Defeating Ulti
Nami may not be the bravest Straw Hat, but that does not mean she is weak, in fact, she has proven her strength several times. Nami was an orphan, but she was taken in by Bell-mère, a former Marine who found Nami and her older adopted sister in a recently destroyed village.
The three relocated to Cocoyasi Village, and they had a pretty good life until Arlong and his crew arrived. When Arlong invaded, his crew was able to subdue Bell-mère, and he offered to spare either her life or the lives of her daughters in exchange for the money she had. She picked her daughters, and he shot her right in front of them. He then forced Nami to become his mapmaker.
4 Doflamingo
Was Tortured As A Child & Killed His Own Father
- Debut: Manga Chapter 233/ Anime Episode 151
- Former Role: Warlord Of The Sea
- Greatest Achievement: Taking Over Dressrosa
The Kingdom of Dressrosa is one of the strongest countries in One Piece, and Doflamingo ruled over it for nearly a decade. He is a member of the Donquixote Family – one of the noble families who founded the World Government, which means that he was born a Celestial Dragon.
His father decided to renounce his family’s noble status and move them to another country. The people of the country hated nobles and burned their homes. His mother died from an illness caused by their subsequent living conditions. The people later beat them and strung Doflamingo, his father, and his younger brother to a burning building. He went on to kill his father in an attempt to regain his noble status, but the Celestial Dragons rejected him.
3 Senior Pink
Dresses Like A Baby In Memory Of His Late Son & Wife
- Debut: Manga Chapter 702/ Anime Episode 632
- Former Role: Assassin & Officer Of The Donquixote Pirates
- Greatest Achievement: Making His Wife Smile
Senior Pink was an officer of the Donquixote Pirates, but he was forced to live two different lives. His wife hated pirates, so he pretended to be a banker for her sake. They had a son, but he died from a fever when he was still a baby.
She learns that he is not really a banker shortly after their baby’s death, and when she leaves their home, she gets caught in a landslide, which places her in a vegetative state. He visited her every day, hoping to see her smile one last time. She smiled when he dressed like their newborn son, and that is the reason why he continues to dress like a baby.
2 Trafalgar D. Water Law
Everyone He Cared About Was Killed
- Debut: Manga Chapter 498/ Anime Episode 392
- Former Role: Warlord Of The Sea
- Greatest Achievement: Defeating Big Mom With Eustass Kid
Thanks to the Op-Op Fruit, Trafalgar D. Water Law was one of the stronger members of the Shichibukai, but he only obtained his Devil Fruit because Doflamingo’s brother fed it to him. He did this to keep Doflamingo from gaining eternal life, but he also did it to keep Law from dying from Amber Lead poisoning.
Amber Lead was mined in Law’s childhood home, and he was not expected to make it to adulthood. His parents were doctors, and his sister was in the late stages of the disease. His country was at war, and an enemy extermination squad killed his parents in front of him. He tried to get back to his sister, but all he could do was watch as the hospital she was in burned to the ground. He and Rosinante Donquixote became very close, and he was forced to listen as Rosinante was shot and killed for betraying Doflamingo.
